MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch has played the class Imperial Agent on the side of the Empire for the first time in preparation for the new expansion Legacy of the Sith of Star Wars: The Old Republic. And he is heavily excited. He is currently having much more fun with it than his Jedi or Sith at Max Level.
Star Wars: The Old Republic has thought of something special for its story. Because throughout most of the base game up to level 50, each class has its own story, which even takes place on separate planets at the beginning. And even later, there are always special content depending on which class you are playing.
For years I played a Jedi or Sith, as a true “Star Wars” fan should. At least I thought so. I was always aware of the different class stories, but after I had leveled two characters to Max Level, I could not bring myself to level another class.
But in the past weeks, I have been playing as an Imperial Agent and had so much fun like I haven’t had in a long time. This was due to the story, but also the fundamental identity of the class and the gameplay.
So, anyone thinking about starting with The Old Republic in 2022 should definitely choose the Imperial Agent.
The best of all class stories
The story of the agent is unique and completely different from the experiences of the Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, or Sith Inquisitor. These are the three previous stories that I have completed.
As an agent with the specialization Sniper, I start on the planet Hutta and complete missions for the Empire. My first mission is to convince a Hutt to join the Empire. To do this, I take on the role of a famous criminal and complete missions for the Hutt in his name.
However, to finally convince him, I use one of his closest associates. When I find out that he has no sympathy for the Empire, I eliminate him and replace him with a suitable person. But it doesn’t stop there.
A story develops like in a real espionage movie, a kind of “Science Fiction James Bond.” I go undercover in a hostile area, sow conspiracies, and uncover conspiracies myself.
In addition, I fight against terrorist organizations and am entangled in intrigues surrounding the Dark Council that governs the Empire. Because the eternal power struggles there hinder the Empire’s victorious progress. Accordingly, I have to ensure several times that the right people get into and stay in the council.
Additionally, I grapple with my role in the Empire throughout the story. I do not agree with every decision and wonder if I am really doing the right thing.
Appropriately, there are various character traits that can be represented throughout the dialogues in the game. You can think of a character type and follow this narrative. This gives the whole story a special touch.
Another highlight I experience as a female agent is in the romances in the game. Just for that, choosing the class was worth it. You can check out the relationship with Vector Hyllus, likely the best character for it, in this video.
Shooting and taking cover is more fun than fighting with a lightsaber
The combat system of SWTOR has aged. What was considered “more dynamic than WoW” in 2011 now feels rather slow and clumsy compared to titles like Black Desert, Guild Wars 2, or Lost Ark. In my opinion, melee combat has aged worse than in many other MMORPGs.
Strikes with the lightsaber feel imprecise and very clumsy, and whenever a hint of dynamism threatens to arise, the global cooldown interrupts it. This prevents me from executing the next attack immediately after an attack.
In contrast, I find ranged combat much more pleasant. With many shots, I can move, and abilities that require long aiming also deal a lot of damage.
The sniper also has the peculiarity that he can take cover behind objects and thus use other abilities.
This brought me a bit more fun than with the other classes, even if the fights were a bit more strenuous at the beginning than with the force classes.
Fair is fair, SWTOR overall feels rather weak in its combat system. After all, it is a tab-targeting MMO from 2011.
Story is the highlight of the MMORPG
Overall, the presentation of the story is the highlight of SWTOR. While the MMORPG gameplay is not up to date, I find the overall story and the dialogue options in the game great. As a “Star Wars” fan from birth, my heart opens with each new chapter and each new story.
Therefore, I can recommend the MMORPG to anyone who finds the lore of Star Wars interesting. I am particularly looking forward to the new expansion Legacy of the Sith.
If you want to find out if SWTOR is a game for you, I recommend this article:
